Kenya regulator says tea output, exports rise in 2014

A truck is loaded with bags of tea leaves at a plantation in Nandi Hills, in Kenya's highlands region west of capital Nairobi, November 5, 2014. REUTERS/Noor Khamis·Reuters· (Reuters)

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's tea output and exports rose in 2014 from a year before, data from the industry regulator showed. Kenya is the world's leading exporter of black tea and the commodity is a major foreign exchange earner for East Africa's biggest economy. Data from the regulator Tea Board of Kenya's website seen by Reuters on Tuesday showed that output rose to 444.8 million kg in 2014 compared with 432.2 million kg a year earlier, which raked in about $1.3 billion. The data also showed Kenya exported 499 million kg up from 494.4 million kg in 2013. The difference in export and production figures usually arise from unsold tea carried over from the previous year. A leading tea-producing group has said drought earlier this the year was driving down output and processing factories were receiving fewer deliveries from fields each week.

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